Water cooler



Nov. 5, 1963 Filed Oct. 16, 1960 W. T- TURNER WATER COOLER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 ZdCMmnZom Jaw/m INVENTOR.

YBY

Nov. 5, 1963 w. T. TURNER 3,109,291

WATER. COOLER Filed Oct. 16, 1960 ZSheets-Sheet 2 BY 51 d 7M United States Patent 3,109,291 WATER COOLER William T. Turner, 721 N. 15th, Enid, Okla. Filed Oct. 16, 1961, Ser. No. 145,254 1 Claim. (Cl. 62-7) This invention relates to a method of cooling water and more particularly it relates to a method of cooling water wherein the heat of evaporization of a liquefied petroleum gas in changing from a liquid to a gaseous state is used as the cooling medium.

In many localities where work is being carried on, as for example, at an oil well drilling site or where a new highway is being constructed drinking water is generally not readily available. Under such conditions all drinking water must be shipped in. Usually the drinking water is transported to the working site in containers such as cans or barrels by truck. Unless some means for cooling the water is employed the temperature of the water soon approaches that of the atmosphere thus becoming rather unpleasant for drinking purposes. Various methods have been proposed for cooling the water including covering the container with a wet burlap sack or similar item or placing a piece of ice in the container. To the best of my knowledge neither of these proposed methods is entirely satisfactory. The use of a wet burlap sack provides only a limited amount of cooling under ideal conditions. Under other conditions, particularly when the humidity is high, the cooling efiect by this method is practically nil. When ice is used it, of course, must be shipped in thus materially increasing the costs of providing drinking water for the workmen. Another disadvantage in the use of ice is that ice will quickly melt, particularly on a warm day, thus possessing no further cooling properties.

It is, therefore, a principal object of the present invention to provide a method for cooling water that is efiicient and economical in operation.

It is another object of this invention to provide a method for cooling water utilizing liquefied petroleum gases normally available at the -well site.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent as the following description proceeds.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, said invention, then, comprises the features hereinaiter fully described and particularly pointed out in the claim, the following description and the annexed drawings in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout, setting-forth in detail certain illustrative embodiments of the invention, these being indicative, however, of but a few of the various ways in which the principle of the invention may be employed.

In said annexed drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a diagrammatic illustration of the invention;

FIGURE 2 is a vertical sectional view on an enlarged scale of the water container; and

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view on an enlarged scale of the regulating valve.

Broadly stated, the present invention comprises a method of cooling water wherein the heat of vaporization of a liquefied petroleum gas is used for cooling water. This is accomplished by allowing the liquefied gas to flow into a coil positioned unthin a vessel containing the water to be cooled. The liquefied gas changes from a liquid to a gaseous state while within the coil.

Referring to the drawings and to FIGURE 1 in particular, the numeral 17 designates a vessel containing the liquefied petroleum gas. Although I generally prefer to employ liquefied butane it will be realized, of course,

be used if desired.

3-, 1 $9,291 Patented Nov. 5, 1963 that other liquefied petroleum gases such as propane may be used if desired. From the storage tank the liquefied gas flows through the liquid LP-gas filter 16, through line or conduit 15, through T-fitting 14. The flow di vides at T-fitting 14. One portion flows through pipe 51 into T-fitting 12 and subsequently into lines 8 and 52. Line 8 is connected by means of a releasable coupling 4a to inlet line 4 which is located in a container 1. Outlet line 5 extends from the container 1 connecting with line 9 through releasable coupling 5a.

Line 9 is connected with pipes 52 and 53 by means of a T-fitting 10. Pipe 53 is connected at its other end with a T-fitting 13-. A check valve 11 is inserted in pipe 52in such a manner that the liquefied gas in T-fitting 12 is prevented from passing into T-fitting 10'.

The other portion of the liquefied gas at T-fitting 14, flows through pipe 54 and fitting 18 to the vaporizer 21. From the vaporizer 21, the gas flows through line 50 and T-fitting 13 into a regulator 22. Gas from the regu lator 22 flows through a shut-01f valve 23 and T-fitting 24, thence into the engine carburetor (not shown). Pipe 26, shut-off valve 25, and shut-ofli valve 23 are provided so that another fuel may be used to power the engine when and if desired.

Pipe 20 is a hot water inlet extending lfIOInl the engine radiator (not shown) and pipe 19 is a water outlet which completes the water circuit back to the engine.

The container 1 provided by the present invention is shown in FIGURE 2 as including a simple can-like body having straight, vertically disposed side walls and a fiat bottom, a closure or lid 7 engaged in and closing the top of the container body and a suitable faucet 3 at the lower end portion of the body and operable to drain or draw the Water therefrom. It will, of course, be understood that other types or forms of water containers may In the case illustrated, the cover or lid 7 of the container 1 is plate-like overlying the upper open end of container 1 and as shown is provided with an annular depending flange which flange is adapted to be slidably engaged in the body at the upper end there of and to prevent the cover 7 from shifting out of engagement with or falling off the body. For improved efiiciency, I prefer to provide the container 1 'With an inner wall or lining 3'7 and fill the space between the inner and outer Walls with an insulating material 35. Container 1 also includes a carrying handle 6 and a handle 7a which is provided to aid in the removal of lid 7.

Inlet pipe 4 is connected with an expansion valve 31 which may be variable as shown or may be at the fixed orifice type. Line or pipe 5 is connected at one end to the outlet 33:; of the valve 31 and is formed into a continuous coil, as illustrated at 34.

Sleeve 3-6 may be used, if desired and serves to separate the coiled portion of line 5 from the water in container 1. It may be removable or not used at all depending upon the particular design of the container 1 and of the coiled portion of line 5.

One type of expansion valve 31 which may be used is shown in detail in FIGURE 3. As shown therein, it includes a body 40, a threaded adjusting cap 32, a seat member 33, a valve stem 48, and a valve stem handle 2.

Assembled, seals 43, 44, and c7 prevent leakage from the valve. Variation in the flow through the valve 31 is attained by adjusting the point 42 of stem 48 by rota tion of handle 2, thus changing the area of the flow path entering port 41. Sealing of the valve 31 is accomplished by screwing threads 46 of the cap 32 tightly onto the mating threads 45 of the body 40.

-In operation, liquefied gas from the storage vessel 17 flows through the filter 16 and pipe 15 to the T-fitting 14. At this point the flow divides. One portion of the liquefied gas passes through line 51. and T fitting 12 into line 3. Another portion passes through line 54 and fitting 13 into the vaporizer 21. The liquefied gas passes from line 8 into line 4 and subsequently into expansion valve 31. As in any gas expansion type refrigeration system, the liquefied gas changes into a substantially liquid free gas as it passes through the valve 31 and moves through the coiled portion of line 5. The expansion of the gas is accompanied by the cooling effect which withdraws heat from the water surrounding the coiled-line 5 and results in the formation of ice on the coils. Gas in line 5 then passes into line 9, through fitting 1t and line 53 into T-fitting 13. That portion of the liquefied gas which has entered the vaporizer 2-1 is expanded or vaporized therein and passes through line 5% into the T-fitting 13.

It should be pointed out that the inlet pressure to the vaporizer 21 may be as high as 100 psi. while the outlet pressure, due to the expansion in the vaporizer 21, is reduced to and maintained at 8 p.s.i.

Hot Water from the engine radiator passes by means of lines 19 and 29 through the vaporizer 21. This is provided to prevent the freezing of the lines leading to the engine thus stopping its operation. The actual construction and details of operation of the vaporizer 21 are more clearly shown and described in the Ensign Carburetor Companys bulletin 7113C dated July 1957.

The gas from T-fitting 13 passes through regulator 22 which reduces the pressure to a value compatible with the carburetion system of the engine. As previously mentioned, the shut-off valves 23 and 2 5, T-fitting 24, and line 26 are provided so that another fuel may be used when desired.

One of the most important features of apparatus con structed in accordance with the invention is that while the gases are refrigerating the water, a second route of gas flow with its own vaporizer 21 is available to automatically take care of sudden changes of fuel requirements to the engine. This is accomplished without adjustment of the refrigeration equipment and :without disturbing the efiiciency of the engine operation.

It will thus be seen that I have provided a simple and economical method of cooling water or other liquid wherein the latent heat of ev-aporization of a liquefied petroleum gas is used as the cooling medium. As is well known the 4 cooling eflects of such gases are generally wasted at the well site. A very important feature of my invention is the provision whereby none of the liquefied gas is converted to a gas prior to its entry into the cooling coil positioned within the water container. After the liquefied gas enters the cooling coil substantially all of the liquid is then converted to a gas.

Other modes of applying the principle of the invention may be employed, change being made as regards the details described provided the features stated in the following claim or the equivalent of such be employed.

I, therefore, particularly point out and distinctly claim as my invention:

Apparatus for cooling Water or similar liquids includ- (1) :a liquefied petroleum gas fuel system including,

(in) a liquefied petroleum "gas supply, (1b) vaporizer means, (la) a gas pressure regulator,

(10!) first conduit means connecting said gas supbeing such that said valve means is adjoining said coil,

(5) supply conduit means connecting said gas supply with said inlet end portion, and

(6) return conduit means connecting said outlet end portion of said cooling coil with said second conduit means.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,515,119 Josephson Nov. 11, 1924 2,129,987 Berkson Sept. 13, 1938 2,800,776 Woodmansee July 30, 1957 g 

